The love was born by chance when his mother, Erin, took him to an ice skating rink in Renton, Wash., on his fifth birthday, unaware it would turn into a lifelong passion for her son.

“When you’re young and you have all that energy, that’s all you want to do is be at the rink,” Josh Farris said. “I still love to skate as much now as I did then.”

Twelve years and countless trophies, medals and ribbons later, Farris is already well known in the figure skating world, and he is on the cusp of stardom in the United States.

His effort at the 2012 World Junior Figure Skating Championships last month in Minsk, Belarus, earned him a silver medal and selection as The Denver Post’s Youth Excellence in Sports winner for March, providing further proof that his dream of becoming an Olympian is within reach.

On the first day in Minsk, Farris, performing to “Clair de Lune,” won the short program — highlighted by a strong triple axel, a triple flip-triple toe and three level-four spins — with a score of 75.43. The following day in the free skate, he was overtaken for the title by China’s Yan Han in total points but was well ahead of fellow countryman Jason Brown.

“It was definitely the most fun I’ve ever had at an international competition,” said Farris, who won his first national title in 2006 at the U.S. Juvenile National Championship. “It’s always an honor to represent the United States. Some people look at the pressure of it, but I tend to look at it as the U.S. is supporting me.”

Farris moved to Colorado Springs in 2008, not only to be closer to family but to further his training. Upon arrival, Farris took up with coaches Tom Zakrajsek and Becky Colvin. The duo helped Farris earn his second national title at the U.S. Intermediate Championship in 2008. It wasn’t until after his third national championship a year later that the world became his stage. In his first international competition — in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2009 — he won a silver medal at the International Challenge Cup.

Now under the direction of Christy Krall and Damon Allen at the Broadmoor Skating Club, Farris has his sights set on Sochi, Russia, and the 2014 Olympics.

“I definitely know that there is a big peak coming up,” Farris said.

The Olympic dream is slowly becoming a reality for Farris, who knows and understands he still has plenty to learn both on and off the ice before Sochi or the 2018 Games in South Korea become just that.

“I don’t just want to get there. I want to win the Olympics and that’s my dream,” said Farris, who is a fan of skating legends Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi. “Right now, it’s more of a dream, because I haven’t quite got to that level. But eventually, it will definitely be a goal.”

Know a top athlete?

Youth Excellence in Sports honors those 17 or younger who have excelled in any athletic endeavor unaffiliated with the Colorado High School Activities Association. To submit your choice for the top individual or team achievement that occurred during April, visit denverpost.com/youthsports for an online form or fax a brief description of the achievement to 303-866-9004 (Attention: “Youth Excellence”). Pictures of the monthly winners go on display at the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.